Preview: Southern at Illinois

[November 09, 2017]  Gracenote

Illinois plays its first official game under new head coach Brad Underwood on Friday night when it hosts Southern in the season opener for both squads. The Illini are hoping Underwood can have the same kind of success he's had at his other stops as a Division I head coach, as he's taken Stephen F. Austin (three times) and Oklahoma State to the NCAA Tournament in each of the last four seasons.

If Illinois is going to improve on its NIT quarterfinals appearance of a season ago, it is going to be with some new faces, as only two starters return for Underwood's initial campaign in Champaign. Junior forward Leron Black is the team's leading returning scorer, having averaged 8.1 points a season ago, and guard Te'Jon Lucas averaged 4.8 points and 3.1 assists as a freshman in 2016-17. One player who will likely get the first shot at replacing last season's leading scorer, Malcolm Hill (17.2), is Wright State graduate transfer Mark Alstork, who scored 19 points a game for the Raiders last season. Southern is led by a pair of senior stars in forward Jared Sam (13.6 points, 7.4 rebounds in 2016-17) and guard Chris Thomas (8.5, 4.7) and is looking to improve on last season's 15-18 record.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, Big Ten Network Plus

ABOUT SOUTHERN (2016-17: 15-18): Southern averaged 71.5 points a contest last season, though 31.1 points of that average came from two players, Shawn Prudhomme (17.5) and Sam (13.6), with only one other player, Tre'lun Banks, averaging in double figures. But interim head coach Morris Scott could have even more scoring this season if the team's exhibition game against Nicholls State is any indication, as six players scored in double figures, led by Eddie Reese's 28 points. Reese, a juco transfer from Northwest Kansas Technical College, could step into a leading scoring role with Prudhomme having graduated.

 

ABOUT ILLINOIS (2016-17: 20-15): While there is a lot of excitement about the team under Underwood, freshman Mark Smith may be the cause of the most anticipation among Illini fans. Mr. Basketball in the state of Illinois in 2016-17, Smith gives Underwood a big-time recruit in his first season and is the state's first Mr. Basketball to join the Illini since 2010. The 6-4 guard averaged 21.9 points, 8.4 assists and 8.2 rebounds as a senior and chose Illinois over Michigan State, giving the Illini at least one victory over the highly ranked Spartans this season.

TIP-INS

1. Black led the Illini and ranked 14th in the Big Ten in rebounding in 2016-17, averaging 6.3 per game.

2. Junior F Michael Hinke was Illinois' top 3-point shooter last season, hitting 41.1 percent from beyond the arc.

3. Underwood's 109 victories in his first four seasons as a Division I head coach rank third in history, behind only Brad Stephens (117 wins at Butler) and Shaka Smart (111, VCU).

PREDICTION: Illinois 82, Southern 64

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